Turning the Clock
by PhantomWolf79
Summary: When three girls bought the Opera Populaire, they never suspected the Phantom was still there. Now trapped as characters in his infamous story, can they change the outcome? Special thanks to Sil Vaturha 98 and DaringGirl55 for being OCs with me! Erik/OC NOTE there are 6 OCs. On hold for a while
1. Wow

(~Julia Nightingale~)

As the plane's wheels touch the runway, Seraph can barely contain herself. My twin, the over-excitable one.

"Julia, we're in Paris!" She squeals. I'm glad this is our private jet. People would be staring at her if we were on first-class. "Phoenix, can you believe it!?" Immediately, we look over at our shy friend, who's playing with her long silver hair.

She looks up, her light green eyes full of sadness. "Um, yeah."

Sympathetically I ask, "What's wrong?"

She shrugs, giving the response "I've never been so far away from my family."

Seraph gives her a look like "what", cause we're completely used to disappearing for weeks to other countries on our own.

As we step off the plane, cameras flash all around us. You buy one little infamous opera house and suddenly you're famous. Seraph pulls on her headphones, making her head bounce as she walks through the paparazzi. Phoenix grabs my arm, like she's seven again. I walk the shy adult through the mob and quickly catch up to Seraph, who's already climbing into a limo.

As we climb in, she hands us some cider. "It's non-alcoholic." She says taking a sip.

The chauffeur doesn't ask where we're going, he just drives. The drive to the Opera Populaire doesn't take too long, and staring at the majestic building I can see why it became world-renown.

A man, the caretaker Mr. Smith, waits at the top of the stairs. "The Nightingales, right?" He refers to Seraph and I, then looks over at Phoenix, "And Ms. Byrd, I presume." Phoenix's parents had a sense of humor. We all nod, and entered our new home.

We gape in amazement at the architecture. The white marble makes up the floor and ceiling from the looks of it. Mr. Smith leaves us to wander, but gives one world of advice - "Don't go into Box 5".

(~Seraph Nightingale~)

I quickly run to the stage, memorized by the old wood and dusty chairs. I pretend to be a dancer and fall all over the stage, laughing like a maniac.

As I look up at Box 5, I feel the over-whelming urge to go up and sit in the famous "Phantom Box". Looking around for my by-the-book twin, I take to the stairs leading to the seat.

Surprisingly, unlike the rest of the decaying opera house, Box 5 is in perfect condition. Perhaps the Opera Ghost cleans it himself, I joke, sitting down of the crush velvet couch. I close my eyes imagining this same box in the movies and stories.

"**What are you doing in here**?" I'm shaken out of my fantasies by a quietly angry voice. I look around for someone, but I don't see anyone. "**No one is supposed to be in this box**."

I stand up and in my most proper voice, "Yes, I realize this, but you see, I am No One, so I can be in here."

"**This is not the time for jokes, girl**." Anger became silent rage.

I cock my head and smile. "Good thing I'm not a girl. I am a WOMAN." If this were the real Phantom, I would definitely be dead by now. "Did Mr. Smith put you up to this?"

I never got my answer, cause I hear Julia yelling at me. "Bye." I say sweetly as I walk out of the box and back down onto the stage.

Julia goes on and on about how I wasn't supposed to be up there, and how I was going to be in so much trouble. Jeez, I'm 24 and I'm still being reprimended by my sister. Phoenix doesn't put an input in, which is nice. I don't need a 22 year old mad with me either.

"I just wanted to-"

"I don't care, Seraph!"

"**Would you two be quiet**." The man's voice rings around us again. Now, he's just annoyed. "**Dans l'année de dix-huit et soixante-dix je vous envoie pour faire mon travail. Jusqu'à ce que je te libère, tu es à moi**."

Now, understanding none of that, I can't say I'm scared or worried. I open my mouth to retort it when my head explodes in pain. I drop to my knees, cluthing my head and yelling. Looking over at my sister through watery eyes, she and Phoenix are suffering as well. I close my eyes and just give in to the pain.

It ends as quickly as it began, and voices laughing and singing wake me. Julia and Phoenix are laying next to me, both in strange dresses.  
I sit up and realize I'm in one too. Mine is a cream color, very flattering to my tannish skin tone, without any ruffles. Julia looks down at her own and almost gags. It's covered in ruffles, and is a sickly yellow. Phoenix's green dress really looks like her style, with no shoulders and no ruffles as well.

Some woman walks by, giving us a dirty look. "Who let these rats in?" She turns to another woman, "I thought these auditions were only for decent folk." Her thick italian accent irritates me.

"Then why are you here?" I mutter, picking myself up off the ground.

Once I turn around, my cheek suddenly starts to sting. The woman had slapped me. I cock my eyebrow. "You wanna go?" Her confused look makes me want to laugh. "Common, you and me, right now." I advance towards her and give her a perfect shove.

She glares at me. "You little toad-" She doesn't continue, cause I slap her. "Do you know who I am?!" She shriecks.

"No," I answer loudly, "but you sound like Carlotta Giudicelli." Now this, is my greatest insult.

She smirks. "Because I am."

This had to be some sort of sick joke.

"Break it up, ladies." I glance over at a man, a handsome man. His brown hair sits in his gorgeous blue eyes, and he definitely had some muscles on him. "We don't need blood in the Opera Populaire." He looks at me, showing a cute little smile.

I nod and absent-mindedly walk out onto the stage. "What is your name, mademoiselle?"

I look over at three men sitting in the seats. "Seraph Nightingale." Strange, they look like Andre and Firmin. Maybe they are...  
"And you wish for what part?" I connect the dots really fast, and horror strikes. I was in 1870, when the Opera Ghost reigned. But, if this is an audition...


	2. Warning - Singing attracts Ghosts

**What's up! Yeah, sorry I haven't put up new stories for a while...but now Turning the Clock is here! 3 **

**I don't own the Phantom of the Opera, or any of it's characters. I own Phoenix Byrd (Sil Vaturha 98) Julia Nightingale (DaringGirl55) and Seraph Nightingale (Me!) and the stage hand who ran into Seraph, and two more mysterious fellows ;)**

**On to the story!**

* * *

Wait, that means I actually slapped Carlotta Giudecelli...AWESOME!  
I straighten up. "Prima Donna, monsieur." They murmur in surprise. Apparently, they don't expect people to go up against Carlotta. I look over at Phoenix, "Let me grab my...pianist." I run over and drag my sweet friend onto the stage. "Do you have a piano?" I ask, forgetting my friend as she coward behind me.  
The piano was pulled out onto the stage, and I sat Phoenix down next to it. "Do you remember 'Think of Me"?" I ask nervously.  
"Please," Phoenix says, her voice full of sass, "I can play 'Phantom of the Opera', or 'Angel of Music', or any Phantom song."  
I smile. "You're awesome." She winks, being completely different, not shy but bouncy and happy. Pianos do that to her. "Do 'Wishing You were Somehow Here Again'." She nods.  
As the piano music starts, I take a deep breath.  
(~Erik~)  
Seraph...such a beautiful name for a rude child. Listening to the music, I faintly remember the tune.  
"_You were once my one companion_  
_You were all that mattered_  
_You were once a friend and father_  
_Then my world was shattered_."  
My heart freezes. Christine sang this...in the cemetery...  
"_Wishing you were somehow here again_  
_Wishing you were somehow near_  
_Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed_  
_Somehow you would be here_  
_Wishing I could hear your voice Knowing that I never would_  
_Dreaming of you won't help me to do_  
_All that you dreamed I could_  
_Passing bells and sculpted angels_  
_Cold and monumental seem, for you the wrong companions_  
_You were warm and gentle_."  
How could she have learned this song? Who would've sung this to her?  
"_Too many years fighting back tears_  
_Why can't the past just die?_  
_Wishing you were somehow here again_  
_Knowing we must say goodbye_  
_Try to forgive, teach me to live_  
_Give me the strength to try_  
_No more memories, no more silent tears_  
_No more gazing across the wasted years_  
_Help me say, goodbye_  
_Help me say, goodbye_!" I have to admit, she has some potential. Knowing these fools, they wouldn't choose her on their own, because of Carlotta. I quickly write a note and drop it onto the desk.


	3. Getting the job I didn't want

(~Phoenix Byrd~)

As I run my fingers over the ivory piano keys, I feel my worries and anxieties die away. Music has always been my escape. Even when everyone told me I was worthless, the piano and guitar said otherwise. The music sings out, full of tumbling emotions.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot two interesting things; a note fluttering down from above and a handsome man sneaking glaces at me. I mouth "note", keeping my eye on it. Obviously, he caught what I meant, because he watches the note fall onto the desk.

"Thank you", he mouths. He nudges the men next to him and their eyes widen. I smile to him and run off the stage.

(~Julia Nightingale~)

Watching my twin sing, I can't help but smile. She's excellent. I glance over towards Carlotta, who's gone pale with worry. She must see Seraph as competition now.

Looking up, I see a man, dressed in black and half his face white. He has a little smile on his face, like he enjoys my sister's singing as well. A ghost likes my sister's voice...oh the problems that can lead to.

I clap as my sister finishes and bows. Someone bumps into me, and gives me a rushed apology. Looking over at them, I see a pretty cute guy, with black hair and light blue eyes. He almost looks like Jared Leto. He takes off behind the curtain like he's scared that someone will see him.

Seraph walks over and hugs me. "That. Was. Horrible." She breaths, making me giggle. She always rates herself too low. "You realize what we're in, right?" She whispers. I nod, eyes shifting through the crowd.

"You had another watcher." I whisper into her ear. She looks up, but now the Phantom is gone. Leaning over, I catch the men looking at a note.

Phoenix grabs onto my shoulder, breathing hard. "That stage is bigger then you'd think." She says breathlessly. She looks up, towards where I saw the Phantom. "We're really in the story, aren't we?"

I nod. "How do we get out?"

(~Seraph Nightingale~)

I look over at the managers and the third, whoever he is. They motion me forward, and I drag Phoenix and Julia along. "Oui, monsiuer?" I hope that didn't sound too weird.

Andre stands up. "Mademoiselle, I'm sad to inform you that you will not be taking the role of Prima Donna." So I'm worse then Carlotta? How do you come to that? "However, you can be a chorus girl." I glance over at the costumes for Hannibal.

"No."

They seem frazzled. "Pardon?" Firmin says.

"No. I will not be a chorus girl."

The third stands up, silencing everyone. "And can you tell me why?"

Ooh, I need an elaborate lie! "I worked as a chorus girl in New York City, and there we were treated as sluts." That's good, keep going. "I came to Paris to get away from that, and I will not degrade my talent back to it." I wonder if that'll work...

He nods. Looking at me directly, he asks, "then what would you like to do?"

I shrug. "Stage hand." That got a response. People stared at me like I was some kind of idiot. "I'm stronger then I look."

He nods. "Very well, mademoiselle." He turns to Julia. "Do you have something to contribute?"

Julia blanks for a second, but nods. "I'm a fair artist, I can work in design." Julia doesn't give her enough credit. She's incredible, making the trees seem so real, or the people, or anything she draws!

"I'm a musician!" Phoenix yells, taking everyone by surspirse. She then shrinks a little bit and follows it with "I can learn to play anything really fast." I was expecting the man to get angry, but he smiles sweetly at her, nodding his head.

"Welcome to the Opera Populaire, ladies."


	4. Denial

_A couple days later_

(~Seraph Nightingale~)

Being a stage hand is easier then I thought. All I have to do is pull ropes and check them every few minutes.  
For three days, we have had no "phantom letters", as the others call them.

I'm leaning over the edge of the catwalk, watching the rehearsals for Hannibal. Joseph Buquet was to my right, and another one to my left, Luc du Paris. He's the one who broke up the fight Carlotta was trying to get me into.

As Carlotta butchers Think of Me, my heart beings to pull in my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the Phantom of the Opera, grinning wickedly.

"Boys," I say abruptly "let's go eat something." Linking arms with Luc and Joseph we train into the kitchen and raid the cookie jar. I couldn't stop myself, I just felt the need to lead them away from there.

A scream draws us back to the catwalks, where the rope holding a scene had been undone and toppled onto Carlotta. She shrieks about how it was on purpose, and seeing me doesn't help.

While Joseph explains where we were, I see Madame Giry pick up a letter. My heart begins to pull towards it, why? First Erik, then his letters. What's wrong with me right now?

(~Julia Nightingale~)

I can't help but laugh at Carlotta's little freak-out. My heart starts to pull towards Giry and the managers, all holding that note. Hmm, interesting. Must be a part of Erik's curse. When we first got here, I thought about telling Seraph what his curse translates to, but she ran onto that bloody stage to show Carlotta up.

And she did a fabulous job of that. I walk over to the managers, "what does it say?"

I expect the first letter from the play, or maybe the movie. And that's how it starts out. But the ending isn't like what I've heard. "Since Carlotta will not be performing, I ask that Mademoiselle Seraph take her place."

Carlotta walks out screaming and shouting, leaving us Prima-Donna-less. And knowing Seraph, she won't accept on her own. "Make Seraph do it." I suggest, getting a billion eyes asking 'why'. "He said so." I can see people visibly shaken by the idea.

"I won't." Seraph announces from above. With her eyes on Christine, she says "Christine should. She's got a voice that deserves to be heard."

Mentally, I do a face-palm. Seraph doesn't understand that if he says something, we'll end up doing it.

His curse, translated, is "In the year of eighteen and seventy I send you to my work. Until I release you, you're mine." Refusing to do his work may not end up in her best interest.


	5. Holy Crap!

**Okay, so I've been having serious writer's block. The only reason this is up is because someone - cough cough Sil Vaturha 98 cough sneeze - kept asking me about it. **

(~Seraph Nightingale~)  
As I walk to my room, a shadowy flash makes me look down the hall to my right. Not seeing anything, I keep moving; I just go a bit faster. Sliding into my room, a letter sits on my bed. The red skull kind of gives away who it's from. I finger the seal to open it when a knock at the door surprises me. I slide the letter under my pillow and flop onto the bed. "Come in." I call, sitting cross-legged on the firm mattress.

Carlotta comes in and smiles shyly. "Hi Seraph." She whispers. Could this be Carlotta? She seems...nice.

"Carlotta?" I check. Her nod causes major unbelief in my head. "What'dya need?" I ask, letting just a little bit of malice enter my voice.

She steps in and closes the door. "I wanted to...apologize...for my behavior towards you." Carlotta didn't sound like herself. She had a plain American accent, with European mannerism.

I blink like seventy times before saying, "Really?" That's all I could say. This was shocking.

She nods. "And before you ask, there's no angle, no sleazy desire that only you can fetch me." The corners of my lips involuntarily curl upwards. "It's a sincere, honest apology."

I take in a sharp breath. "Thanks, Carlotta." We both smile, and I motion for her to sit next to me. "I'm sorry for slapping you."

She looks down at her lap. "I deserved it."

"Why do you act like that around other people?" I ask sincerely. Her paleness makes me quickly think of a new question. "I've got to ask, what happened to the accent?" I inquire.

Carlotta laughs quietly and clears her throat. "You mean-a ziz one?" She says, accent back. I nod with a smile on my face. "I unlearned it." She sighs at my confusion, "I'm supposed to be an Italian brat, but I'm not." I mouth a "Oh," accepting the idea.

We talk for like twenty minutes about the most random things. I avoid the Phantom and his story, but I learn quite a bit about this Carlotta. Her mother was a singer, and raised her to adore music. She grew up in Costa Smeralda, among the rich. She came to France and unlearned her accent, but a bit too late. Everyone already knew her as the Italian Singer, so she has to force her accent. As people will say in the 21 century, head-cannon accepted.

"So, what about you Seraph? What was your life like before coming to Paris?"

Crud. I should've expected people to ask that, but I haven't figured out an alibi other then I was a chorus girl in NYC.

"NYC sucked." I sigh, making her chuckle. "As a chorus girl, the only way to become Prima was to sleep your way to the top." Carlotta makes a face that gets me laughing. "My sister and I have always been together. You could say," I add a wink, "that we can read each other's minds."

"What about your parents?"

Now here, I can be completely honest. "My parents have never really cared what happens to Julia and I. To them, it was always Joey who got all the attention." She cocks her head, a bit confused. "Joey is my older brother." With a nod, I bite my lip.

Carlotta doesn't say another word. She stands up and heads for the door. With one backwards glance, she leaves.

I huff and look at my pillow. Did you think I forgot? Pulling out the letter, I carefully open it so I don't break the seal.

"Seraph Nightingale.  
You are a strange child, that much I am sure of. I'm ordering you to perform in Hannibal. There are no choices for you.  
OG"

Well...that was rude. No choice? People always have a choice. "I won't do it." I mutter, throwing the letter onto the vanity table. A split-second after saying that, my body erupts in tremendous pain. Like when I first came here, only much worse. This pain isn't lost in unconsciousness and I can't speak, only scream.

"I...I'll do it!" I scream, writhing on the floor. Again, only a split-second occurred before the pain stops. Laying on the floor, I gasp for air. What the flip was that?

(~Erik~)

Hearing a scream, I look toward the stairwell up to the Opera House. Was that Seraph? I walk quietly to my forest. The sound of the birds' singing lift my mood. Watching a deer hop by, I smile. The forest is the only thing in this gloomy place that really makes me feel alive.

Laying on the grass, I listen to the music nature plays. How soft, how sweet, only a true musician's ears can hear such melodies. I replay Christine's singing in my head, growing a grin on my face. She's so beautiful; but Christine doesn't stay for long.

Seraph enters my mind, singing so strongly and proud, yet nimble and graceful. Of course she was untrained, but that raw potential...dear Heavens, that potential could draw the best singing instructor in Paris! Of course, that would be me.

**I'll admit it. I watched the 1990 tv special version of Phantom. AND I LOVED IT! Charles Dance was incredible, and his lair was phenomenal! He had a forest with life-size fake animals! Oh and his voice...so soft and kind...OMGWHADR I need to get back on track. ANYWAY, I'm modeling this Erik's lair to be like Charles's. Any problems with that? No, good.**

**And yes, I made Carlotta nice. You'll find out why later, but that makes an interesting twist, yes?**

**Love ya! :)**


	6. Marionette

**This is way over do, I know. I'm sorry for being lazy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom and his accomplices, nor do I own the song "Marionette" by Antonia. I own the OCs involved, and the personality switches of the original characters.**

(~Julia Nightingale~)

I can't believe how different the characters are. Phoenix accidently bumped into Meg Giry, and I was expecting her to be like "it's okay, sweetie. No harm done," like she appears to be in the movie. But instead, she yelled at her, calling her a clumsy fool.

As I paint an elephant for Hannibal, a foot comes out of nowhere and almost hits me. Ducking swiftly, I take a paint brush and give the person a grey streak down their leg.

I quickly figure out who it is when they scream.

Meg calls for her mother. "Look what she did to my costume!" She yells, glaring daggers in my general direction.

Madame Giry looks at me questioningly. "Why did you paint her?"

I tell her about the reaction. "I wasn't about to get kicked in the head by a dancer." I state before going back to coloring my elephant. Another scream, more muted than Meg's, catches in my ears. Dropping the brush in its can, I run towards the rooms where I heard it.

I come to Seraph's room, and open the door. Seraph lays on the floor, staring at the ceiling and gasping for air. "You okay?" I ask helping her up.

She shows me a letter, from none other than the Phantom. She goes on to tell me about her second denial and what happened.

Now, for my confessions. I translate the curse Phantom put on us, and explain our situation as best as I understand it.

She sighs. "So basically, it's 'do what he wants' or that." She looks at the letter, referring to her incident.

Chuckling, she quietly starts singing.

"She says 'Hey! Wait'

'Listen now to what I've got to say'

'I don't think I want it this way'

'We become some more

Excuse and love that's come undone'

'And how do we get so numb'" Recognizing the song, I join in.

"I wanna be in your control

So unmerciful

You can twist me and turn me

Just don't let me go

"I wanna be your puppet on a string

Baby I'm not holding back

We can do anything

And even if I'm crazy is cause you make me this way

We're as close to love as we'll ever get

"I wanna be your marionette, marionette, marionette

I wanna be your marionette, marionette, marionette." I don't hear Seraph drop out, I'm lost in the song lyrics.

"So lets play the charade

I'm helpless like a child lost in the dark

And I need you to light a spark.

"It's a game but the same

I need to feel that this is love somehow

So don't disconnect me now!" Entering back in, Seraph brings up the volume.

"I wanna be in your control

So unmerciful

You can twist me and turn me

Just don't let me go!

"I wanna be your puppet on a string

Baby I'm not holding back

We can do anything

And even if I'm crazy is cause you make me this way

We're as close to love as we'll ever get

"I wanna be your marionette, marionette, marionette

I wanna be your marionette, marionette, marionette."

We sit in silence for a second before Seraph starts laughing. "What?" I ask.

"Remember when Joey when tried to get us to do something, and we'd tell him 'I ain't no doll' and he'd turn red?" She says, a smile teasing at the memories. Her face falls, and she whispers, "What if we never see him again?"

I hug my sister. "Seraph Nightingale," I sternly say, "we will survive this, and we will get home."

**How will Christine handle the news of Seraph's decision? What will Seraph do? How will the girls survive? Review please! **


End file.
